Majority of Complaints Filed against Same Types of Businesses from 2008
to 2009
Wallingford,
CT - November 17, 2009– Connecticut consumers remain dissatisfied with the same
types of businesses this year as in 2008, according to a statistical breakdown
released by Connecticut Better Business Bureau.
Four of the top 5 types of businesses most complained about in 2008 still
receive the greatest share of complaints to BBB in 2009.
They are: buying clubs & group purchasing services, Internet shopping, book
publishers and new car dealers. Furniture retailers are drawing fewer
complaints in 2009 compared with the same period last year, and were bumped out
of the top 5 list by mailing services, though both remain within the top 10
most-complained about industries.
“There is consistent consumer dissatisfaction with certain types of
businesses,” according to Connecticut Better Business Bureau President,
Paulette Scarpetti. “This may indicate customer service models need to be
updated. What worked 10 years ago may not work in today’s fast-paced Internet
marketplace.”
This table breaks down the complaint rankings in Connecticut by Type of Business (TOB) for
the period of January 1 to September 30, 2008, and January 1 to September 30,
2009:
|
|
2009 Complaints by TOB
|
2008 Complaints by TOB
|
|
1
|
Buying
Clubs & Group Purchasing Service
|
Buying
Clubs & Group Purchasing Service
|
|
2
|
Internet
Shopping
|
Internet
Shopping
|
|
3
|
Mailing
Services
|
Auto
Dealers- New Cars
|
|
4
|
Publishers
– Book
|
Furniture
– Retail
|
|
5
|
Auto
Dealers – New Cars
|
Publishers
– Book
|
|
6
|
Furniture
- Retail
|
Mailing
Services
|
|
7
|
Fulfillment
Services
|
Home
Improvements
|
|
8
|
Insurance
Companies
|
Burglar
Alarm System Dealers, Monitoring & Services
|
|
9
|
Magazine
Sales
|
Insurance
Companies
|
|
10
|
Auto
Dealers – Used Cars
|
Oils-
Fuel
|
Of the top 10 types of businesses that drew the most complaints in Connecticut so far this year, new car dealers, Internet shopping and retail furniture companies also appear within the national top 10 TOB complaint list according to Better Business Bureau statistics for all of 2008:
US BBB 2008 National Statistics Sorted by Complaints:
|
|
US BBB 2008 National Statistics Sorted by
Complaints
|
|
1
|
Cellular Phone Service & Equipment
|
|
2
|
Auto Dealers – New Cars
|
|
3
|
Banks
|
|
4
|
Internet Shopping
|
|
5
|
Television – Cable, CATV & Satellite
|
|
6
|
Collection Agencies
|
|
7
|
Auto Dealers – Used Cars
|
|
8
|
Furniture – Retail
|
|
9
|
Telephone Companies
|
|
10
|
Satellite Equipment & Supplies
|
Consumers can avoid many of the problems that
result in complaints against companies by checking out their Reliability Report
or selecting a “BBB Accredited Business” at www.bbb.org.
# # #
Founded in 1928, Connecticut BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. BBB offers objective advice and a wide range of education on topics affecting marketplace trust. BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses. Today, 128 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than three million local and national businesses and charities. For more advice on finding companies and businesses, start your search with trust at www.bbb.org.Howard Schwartz, Communications Director, 203-269-2700, hschwartz@ct.bbb.org